Snowbound baking day Tuesday

I was hoping to get on the road before this big storm hit so I could enjoy being snowed in at the ranch.  I love watching the snow fall, knowing that I have enough wood to keep me warm and enough food to keep me fed.  I kind of like the feeling of nobody being able to get in and out.  It kind of forces you to slow down and look around you, especially if the power goes out. 

Unfortunately, we will have to stay put in our basement until the storm passes, then we can go.  Things seemed to be coming together to get us out of here, but then some work came up for my husband, and we were delayed in getting our car window fixed.  -I didn't tell you about that did I? 

On Saturday, we were driving up a canyon when a crazy little hail storm hit, and hit hard.  We thought the car in front of us was kicking up gravel at first, but it was little, jagged, dirty hail stones.  I've never seen it like that.  I thought the windshield was going to come in on us, they were coming so fast and hard.  Instead, the back driver side window shattered.  And then the storm was gone.  Maybe 5 seconds was all.  So, we've been driving around with a duct tape window back there.  Definitely makes me the cool mom in the kindergarten carpool.

Anyway, looks like we're stuck here for the night and most of tomorrow.  I hope the power doesn't go out.  It's dark enough in this basement, and I don't know how the heat works exactly.  Pretty sure it's electric.  I am going to miss just sitting and watching the snow fall.  I love that.  Here, I have to stand next to the wall and look up to see out. 

On to the baking!  Since I didn't know exactly what our plans were, I didn't do bread.  We're still working our way through the failure from last week.  Instead, I'm working on my part of Thanksgiving dinner.  I offered to make rolls, even though I've never had any turn out pretty, and pumpkin pie. 

My daughter was given a pumpkin that she fell in love with after Halloween, so rather than let it slump into a pile on her dresser, (yes it was in her room) I decided to try some pumpkin pie with it.  I didn't think she would notice since I moved it into the kitchen and she didn't say anything, but as I was hacking it into quarters, she walked into the kitchen and screeched, "MY PUMPKIN!"  Oops.  She's a good sport about it and told me later that making a pie out of it was her plan all along.  She has helped me with every part of the pies, and after I forced her to try some of the puree, she snuck a bunch of it and asked for more for dinner.  It was good for a mystery pumpkin, my 9 month old thought so too.  I wish I had saved a few seeds before roasting them.

I used these directions from pickyourown.org.   I had more puree than the recipe calls for, so I upped the other ingredients accordingly.  Four cups of pumpkin yielded three small pies, and they were as full as they could be.  The pies just came out of the oven, so I don't know about taste yet, but they look good, not quite as orange as I'm used to.  I doubt my husband will try it, but maybe... if a certain four year old in a purple fairy dress and red apron asks him... we'll see.  She is so proud of her pumpkin.

The rolls are not what I at first envisioned.  There was a lady near my home that had an amazing roll recipe.  She was famous for them and she would bring them to every church function, every funeral, special occasion, you name it.  She would NOT share the recipe.  I don't know if she handed it down to any of her children.  I hope so.  Because of her, when I picture rolls, I picture hers.  Mine never measure up, or even come close.  I'm always disappointed in my end product.  They are perfectly edible, but they are just little chunks of bread, not the light, fluffy, buttery, who cares what else is in the pot-luck mounds of heaven that I want. 

So I didn't try.  I opted to try a recipe I found on allrecipes.com for butterhorn rolls.  They already look funny, so that's no big deal, and they are covered in butter, so they have to be good.  How can I fail?  I tried to.  I kept forgetting to spread the butter before cutting into pie shapes, and the butter should have been a bit more spreadable, but, I think they turned out pretty good.  They surprised me by raising a lot in the oven, and then smooshing down after I got them out.  Maybe should have baked a bit longer?  They are done and they are pretty good.  So let's hear it for a successful baking day!

And, if anyone has a world famous, fool-proof recipe for rolls, I'm all ears!